Time to Re-define Victory

Donald Rumsfeld, one of the main architects of the war in Iraq and very much a power-behind-the-throne in Washington, has resigned his post as Defense Secretary. Mr. Bush made the announcement just hours after the Democrats gained control of the Congress. Politicians from both parties had been calling for Mr. Rumsfeld's removal for some time, but the President was adamant that he would keep his Defense Secretary in place until his term of office was over. But all that changed yesterday when, in an exercise of bipartisanship and face-saving, Mr. Bush announced Mr. Rumsfeld's departure.



Mr. Bush admitted during his news conference that He and Mr. Rumsfeld had discussed the change of leadership weeks prior to the elections. There will be more personnel changes to follow as soon as the new regime at the Pentagon is in place.

Meanwhile Mr. Bush will be busy interviewing and assessing new applicants for the various positions as they become available.

Mr. Bush is left with no excuse for not re-thinking his "strategy" in Iraq. Ideas and proposals aimed at resolving the conflicts that torment that troubled nation will be no doubt be forthcoming. He may even have to re-define the term "victory", engage in diplomatic discussions with Iraq's neighboring states, and finally abandon the Neocon dream of controlling the Iraqi oil reserves until the wells run dry.

But I would take this moment to remind Mr. Bush and his newly elected and loyal opposition of one thing: The war in Iraq is fuelled by hatred and intolerance, waged by fanatics on all sides, and anarchy and chaos have evolved beyond the point of containment and control by any government, foreign or domestic. Thousands of people are dying every month in Iraq. While allied casualties are increasing daily, their numbers are dwarfed by the number of civilians that are murdered and massacred by the various groups that vie for power.

The only real victory to be found, and the only one worth searching for, is the victory of the Iraqi people over the violence that surrounds and destroys them.

Forgotten Souls: Tribute to the Iraqi innocents